Folding umbrella.



A. STEIN.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1912.

Patented May 12, 1914.

I/V YEN TOR: August Stein.

WITNESSES:

AUGUST STEIN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914:.

Application filed August 21, 1912. Serial No. 716,174.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LAUGUST STEIN, a sub ject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, United States of America, have in vented a certain new and useful Folding Umbrella, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an umbrella which may be folded up in the least possible space so that in its folded condition the umbrella may be readily carried in the coat pocket.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of umbrella made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the umbrella in its raised position, and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the umbrella partially folded.

Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in the several views of the drawings.

5 represents the outer portion of the handle. This portion 5 has pivoted to it ribs 6 at a point 7 near its outer end. Each of the ribs 6 is formed of two parts of which the outer is slightly shorter than the inner. The two parts of the ribs 6 are pivoted together at a point 8. Spreaders 9 are pivoted to the inner parts of the ribs 6 near the point 8, the opposite ends being pivoted to a main spreader ring 10 which is slidingly mounted on the part 5 of the handle. The spreaders 9 are preferably also connected to the ribs 6 by means of a brace 11 which is pivoted at one end to the said ribs and at the other to a collar 12 slidingly surrounding the spreaders 9. Slidingly mounted in each of the spreaders 9 is a rod 13, the outer end of which is pivoted to one end of a link 14 while the other end is pivoted to the outer part of the ribs 6. Surrounding the rod 13 is a coil spring 15 for holding the rod in its normal position. The inner end of the rod 13 is connected to an auxiliary spreader ring consisting of two parts 16 and 17 respectively. The part 16 is rigidly mounted on the end of a sleeve 18 surrounding the stem 5, while the part 17 is loosely mounted upon the said sleeve. The rod 13 is connected to the ring 16 by means of a flexible connection 19 which passes through the main spreader ring 10. By the term flexible connectlon I mean a cord or wire which may be bent at any point throughout its length as distinguished from a rod containing joints, and when I use the term. in the claims allixed hereto, I wish to limit myself to such a cord or wire. The rod 13 is connected to the ring 17 by means of a link 20 pivoted at one end to each of the said parts. Surrounding the sleeve 18 is a collar 21 which has a certain amount of movement relative to the said sleeve owing to the connection secured by :1 lug 22 passing through a slot 23 in the said collar 21.

2-1 is a spring stop which is adapted to pass through openings in the collar 21 and sleeve 18 into the outer part 5 of the handle, as shown in Fig. 1, when the umbrella is in its raised position, thus locking the various parts against movement.

Pivoted to the inner end of the sleeve 18 at a point 25 is the rod 26 forming the lower part of the handle. This rod 26 is connected to the part 5 by means of a link 27 pivoted at 28 to the part 26, and at 29 to the part 5. The trunnions 29 project through the slots 30 in the sleeve 18. The sleeve 21 is connected to the part 26 by means of a link 31 pivoted at 32 to the handle and at 33 to the sleeve 21. In order to shorten the handle sufliciently to allow it to fold within the umbrella, I provide the part 26 with a telescoping portion 3 1 adapted to be held in its extended position by a detent The operation of my umbrella is as follows: l/Vhen it is in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to lower the same, the detent 35 is released so as to allow the parts 26 and 3-1 to telescope, thus shortening the handle. The dctent 241- is now released. so as to allow relative movement between the collar 21, the sleeve 18 and the rod 5. The handle 26 is now folded over on its pivot 25. The action of the links 27 and 31 is such as to draw the rod 5 inwardly and to force the sleeve 18 outwardly. This separates the spreader ring 10 and the auxiliary spreader ring consisting of the parts 16 and 17. Owing to this action, the flexible connections 19, acting through the rods 13 and the links 14, cause the outer part of the ribs, 6 to move on their pivots 8 and fold up against the inner part at the same time that the ribs as a whole are folded up against the handle. In this way the entire umbrella is folded up into the smallest possible spacc. To unfold the umbrella,

it is only necessary to reverse the above operations. In unfolding the umbrella, the rods 13 are operated by the links 20 to cause the two parts of the ribs to assume their normal position.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is:

1. In a folding umbrella, the combination with a handle, of ribs hinged near the middle of their length, a pair of spreader rings, spreaders extending between one of said rings and said ribs, means for moving said rings toward and away from each other, and connections operated by the relative movement of said rings for folding the parts of said ribs together, said connections including a portion passing through said spreaders.

2. In folding umbrella, the combination with a handle, of ribs hinged near the middle of their length, a pair of spreader rings, means for moving said rings toward and away from each other, and connections operated by the relative movement of said rings for folding the parts of said ribs together, said connections including a flexible portion secured to one of said spreader rings and passing through the other of said spreader rings.

In a folding umbrella, the combination with a folding handle, of ribs hinged near the middle of their length, apair of spreader rings, spreaders extending between one of said rings and said ribs, connections operated by the folding of the handle for relatively moving said spreader rings, and connections operated by the relative movement of said rings for folding the parts of the ribs together, said latter connections including a portion passing through said spreaders.

t. In a folding umbrella, the combination with a handle formed of two parts pivoted together, of ribs hinged near the middle of their length, a pair of spreader rings moving towardand away from each other, connections operated by the relative movement of said rings for folding the parts of said ribs together, and a pair of links operated by the folding of said handle for effecting the relative movement of said rings.

5. In a folding umbrella, the combination with a handle, of a rib hinged near the mid 1,096,6LL7V dle of its length, a spreader ring, a spreader connected to said ring and pivoted to one part of said rib, a link pivoted to the other part of said rib and slidingly connected to said spreader, a connection attached to said link and passing through said spreader, and means for operating said connection to fold the parts of said rib.

6. In a folding umbrella, the combination with a handle, of a rib hinged near the middle of its length, a spreader ring, a spreader connected to said ring and pivoted to one part of said rib, a link pivoted to the other part of said rib and slidingly connect-- ed with said spreader, a brace connected to the first mentioned part of said rib and also slidingly connected with said spreader, a connection secured'to said link and brace and passing through said spreader, and means for operating said connection to fold the parts of said rib.

7. In a folding umbrella, the combination with a handle formed of two parts pivoted together, of ribs hinged near the middle of their length, a pair of spreader rings moving toward and away from each other, connections operated by the relative movement of said rings for folding the parts of said ribs together, said connections including flexible portion secured to one 7 of said spreader rings and passing through the other of said spreader rings, and a pair of links operated by the folding of said handle for effecting the movement of said rings.

8. In a folding umbrella, the combination with a handle, of ribs hinged near-the middle of their length, a pair of spreader rings, spreaders extending between one of said rings and the upper part of said ribs, rods extending through said spreaders, links connecting said rods with the lower parts of said ribs, and flexible connections secured to one of said spreader rings and passing through the other of said spreader rings for operating said rods to fold the parts of the ribs together.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

aneusr srnrN. a 5.

Witnesses W. A. ihLEXzlNDER, G. M. SHoRn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Iashington, I C. 

